


What Tempts The Serpent

by dipping_sauce (metabaron)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-09-03
Updated: 2003-09-03
Packaged: 2018-03-06 13:33:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3136274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/metabaron/pseuds/dipping_sauce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The students of Slytherin explore the one thing expressedly forbidden in their House.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Tempts The Serpent

All of Slytherin House, from first years to sevenths, was packed into their Common Room. It was standing-room only - there were people atop the chairs and tables, and at the centre of it all was Draco Malfoy. So many students in such little space had never been quieter, for tonight was a momentous occasion.

They were about to break Professor Snape's strictest edict.

In the farthest corner, Millicent Bulstrode stood on the tips of her toes. "Do you have it, Malfoy?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, yet it carried in the silence, and almost seemed to echo.

Draco nodded and pulled the offending items from his book bag, where they had been wedged between two large Herbology tomes. He raised them above his head, and murmurs swept the crowd. What he held in his hands had been banned from Slytherin House since 1982. No one dared to speculate what Snape would do to them if he ever found out.

Millicent continued. "How do we know that Snape won't barge in halfway through?"

Draco smirked. This was the cleverest part of his plan. "Last week, we prefects took a collection - about a Sickle each. It was for two purposes: to buy - these - and to bribe those idiot Weasley twins into breaking into the Professor's private stores. They stole all the damiana leaves there, and then, still acting on my orders, burnt them.

"This morning, Hubert Maguire - Muggle-born, but Slytherin to the core - volunteered to take a Nerveless Draught prepared by Parkinson and Dowis. McGonagall found him outside the Gryffindor Common Room a few hours ago, and he played his part perfectly, telling anyone who asked that the Weasleys held him down and poured the Draught down his throat.

"Unfortunately, since Nerveless Draught poisoning is so rare, Pomfrey doesn't keep an antidote on hand. So Professor Snape has to make one - which proved to be rather difficult as its primary ingredient is damiana laves.

"Of which he has none.

"The Weasleys' protests fell on deaf ears, so they're now in detention. The Professor is in Diagon Alley buying more damiana, and when he returns, he'll lock himself in the hospital wing to brew the antidote.

"We should be safe for the next few hours. So if there are no more questions, I believe we should begin."

Draco drew the first record from its sleeve, set it on the gramophone and positioned the needle.

As the first notes of the song filled the room, Theodore Nott leaned over to Millicent and whispered in her ear. "I wonder what Professor Snape has against this 'Abba'?"


End file.
